Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth protects quarterback Jared Goff’s blindside as he blocks Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long during a game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 16, 2018. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

THOUSAND OAKS – There’s gray in the beard now, but little else has changed. It’s Andrew Whitworth, it’s the Superdome and it’s a big game. That combination usually works well for the behemoth from the bayou.

“I have a historic history there,” Whitworth said this week, and yes, that is the best way to put it.

Sign up for Home Turf and get exclusive stories every SoCal sports fan must read, sent daily. Subscribe here.

It could soon by a legendary history. Whitworth, the Rams’ 37-year-old left tackle, has entered the sunset years of a brilliant NFL career and is about to play his biggest game Sunday at New Orleans. Whitworth is in an NFC championship game for the first time, and if he’s about to pick up his first Super Bowl ticket, the location is perfect.

Whitworth won Louisiana high school state championship games in the Superdome in 1997, 1998 and 2000, and in Jan. 2004, Whitworth and the LSU Tigers beat Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl for a national title.

“Those are fond memories of that stadium,” Whitworth said. “I say it all the time, Superdome is probably, to me, the place that I’ll always have the best emotional ties just because of my athletic career there. So, I’m excited for this opportunity because it’s going to be a challenge, but man, that’s why you play the game. What a cool place to have the opportunity to go try and win it.”

In the locker room and in interviews, Whitworth typically is quiet and introspective, universally liked for his pleasant nature and empathy, not to mention his skill. Sometimes, though, emotion comes out.

Last Saturday, after the Rams picked up a game-clinching first down in their divisional-round playoff game against Dallas, Whitworth looked like King Kong. He raised his fists over his head, which already tops out at 6-foot-7, and appeared to let out a roar of happiness.

Whitworth had been to the playoffs seven times before, and never won. He played on a Cincinnati Bengals team that started 0-8 and had no hope. Now, at an age when most offensive lineman are multiple years into retirement, Whitworth is one victory away from the Super Bowl.

“It meant a lot,” Whitworth said, “because I believe in the people in this locker room and I believe in, really, the direction of this football team. For it to be proven right is something else. It just made me proud and emotional about just having that opportunity to move forward.”

As an LSU Tiger, Andrew Whitworth showed his disappointment after his team lost to Iowa 30-25 in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005.(AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)

Moving, not limping, and that’s important. Whitworth raised concerns during the Rams’ regular-season finale against San Francisco, when he left the game with a sore knee.

It turned out to be nothing, as Whitworth showed against the Cowboys, when he had a dominant effort (as did several of the Rams’ offensive linemen). Coach Sean McVay called it Whitworth’s best game of the season and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer said Whitworth and other had found the “fountain of youth.”

“I think that, honestly for us – to me – I feel like it’s the beginning of the season, body-wise,” Whitworth said. “I feel great. I think a lot of us feel that way.”

That’s nothing new. Whitworth is known for his amazing conditioning, and he hasn’t missed a game because of injury since the start of the 2013 season. It seems as though he could play forever, but that’s just not reality, and Whitworth knows he can’t presume there will be another opportunity.

Whitworth has one more season on his three-year contract, which he restructured last August. Whitworth’s 2019 season will cost the Rams almost $16 million against their salary cap, but McVay isn’t counting.

“I don’t think you could really put a price on it,” McVay said, “how instrumental he’s been with what he’s done and how he’s influenced and affected his teammates over the last couple years and really, this overall culture that you hear us talk about. The production has been incredible.”

Now, only one game stands between Whitworth and the Super Bowl. That game will be played in Atlanta, not New Orleans, but to get there, Whitworth just needs to win one more time in the Superdome.

It hasn’t all been sunshine. Whitworth also lost a high school championship game there, and he’s only two months removed from the Rams’ regular-season loss to the Saints. Whitworth seemed confident this week that he might be able to enjoy his biggest Superdome celebration.

“I think we kind of feel like we were born for this moment and this opportunity,” Whitworth said. “This season, we’ve done nothing but put our heads down and work and we got the opportunity that now, we’re getting back to getting hot and feeling good about ourselves. Man, it’s going to be two of the best teams in our conference. We’re going to go at it and we’ll see what happens.”

ALL CLEAR

Skies cleared in the Cal Lutheran area Friday, so the Rams were able to hold their normal practice on their grass fields, rather than the enormous tent that had been constructed in a nearby parking lot.

The Rams also made it through the week with zero players listed on their injury report. Other than receiver Cooper Kupp and linebacker Dominique Easley, who suffered season-ending knee injuries, the Rams got a full week of practice from all of the starters who played in the Sept. 10 season-opening game at Oakland.

Rich Hammond was a high school senior when the Rams left town in 1995, and now he's their beat writer for the Southern California News Group. A native of L.A., Rich broke in at the Daily Breeze as a college freshman and also has covered USC, the Kings, the Lakers and the Dodgers. He still loves sports and telling stories. Don't take the sarcastic tweets too seriously.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com.